Despina was born and raised in Queens, NY. After studying drawing at F.I.T. and sculpture at Cooper Union, Despina studied Illustration and Design at Parsons School of Design and at Passalacqua School of Art. Despina's work has been commissioned for editorial, advertising and institutional projects. Her heart is in her Children's Books and in teaching art to youths in the TriState area. As an education reform advocate she is currently working on using her love of art to campaign for a change in public education.

Money circles the world. Crashing rising falling. Waves tsunamis whirlpools. The ocean's currents flow. Warm cool. Gold silver. Exchanging life with life. Affecting order with chaos and vice versa.But we've disturbed the balance.We've mined for gold, called it a rush. Harpooned the whales, declared it progress.Harnessed the zephyrs, named them trade winds.The earliest people warned:Do not take without givingDo not disrespect the EarthDo not value currency more than the currents.

Unfortunately, gold will not be enough to buy back the oceans. When we destroy the Ocean, we destroy ourselves.

The currents in the Stellwagen Basin created the "perfect storm" for whale activity and so the area became a whale hunting hotspot. Those currents and the garbage polluting our oceans as a result of "progress" inspired this project.